Two Paths, Two Lives
by PeaceGuardian
Summary: Being of the same age, Obi-Wan and Anakin struggle through friendship, rivalry, and knighthood with the guidance of their masters Xanatos and Qui-Gon. With these new changes and surprises, who knows what the force has in mind for the future of the jedi.
1. Chapter 1

Imagine Star Wars with Qui-Gon training Anakin and Xanatos training Obi-Wan...hm...how would that turn out? :D You're about to find out! Anakin and Obi-Wan are sixteen and the same age. Wheee....read and enjoy!!!!

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Chapter One

The cerulean orbs stared intently at his opponent. Sixteen year old Obi-Wan Kenobi circled the almighty 'chosen one' with his lightsaber held up defensively. Anakin Skywalker smirked at the boy in front of him before lashing out. He always attacked first. Immediately, Obi-Wan moved his lightsaber up to parry before thrusting an upward blow, which only distracted Anakin.

In the audience, Qui-Gon carefully surveyed his apprentice. The blue eyes were narrowed in concentration; his frustration was beginning to show in his blond brows. Earlier that day, his opponents hadn't been much of a problem for him. He had disarmed them with ease. Now in the last round of the tournament, he was finally meeting someone of his level. As the two boys swung their lightsabers in a flurry of blows, Qui-Gon could not help but admire the other boy. For a teenager, he was quite calm going against the chosen one. As he felt his apprentice's frustration building by the minute, he sent _/Relax, Anakin. It's just a fun tournament. Besides, you need to clear your mind in order to find his weakness/_

After a few moments, a faithful, _yes master_ was sent back to Qui-Gon. The tall jedi smiled as he watched his apprentice's graceful movements, met by the other boy's equally graceful parries. Qui-Gon had seen Obi-Wan Kenobi before, he was two the first time Qui-Gon met him. Actually, Qui-Gon and his former apprentice Xanatos had been the one to find Obi-Wan. The last time he had seen the boy was when he was thirteen, begging for Qui-Gon to take him as an apprentice, but instead, Qui-Gon had turned him away. He was not ready for an apprentice so soon after Xanatos's betrayal, but a few days later, he had taken Anakin. Sometimes, he felt guilty for choosing Anakin, but the rewarding moments of being Anakin's master would win out any of the guilt. And all this time, Qui-Gon continued to wonder who Obi-Wan's master was.

Yoda, perched above, watched the two young apprentices fight. Anakin, a natural warrior, a natural connector with the force, was, as always, fighting gracefully. Yet, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the one who struggled, was finally beginning to see the rewards of hard work. With pride, Yoda watched young Kenobi's serene and focused features as he released all of the emotions that hindered him. He was getting better at controlling his emotions. Yoda could also see young Skywalker struggling to do the same. For once in his life, something wasn't easy.

Anakin began to attack with more ferociousness, with more aggression as he tried to weaken his opponent. Yet still, Obi-Wan continued to thwart his blows. He did not know how he was holding his ground against the 'chosen one'. Anakin had always come on top in lightsaber classes, in…everything. He was a natural and somehow, somehow, Obi-Wan was holding on. Somehow, he had a chance against him. The ooh's and audible gasps from the crowd kept him fueled. They too, were surprised that the duel was still going on. After ten minutes, the two boys were still attacking each other with vigor.

Mace Windu, the judge of the duel decided to call a draw. "It's a draw. Both of you fought well." He said with a large smile. "Good job."

Both boys deactivated their lightsabers and respectfully bowed. "Thank you, Master Windu." They murmured as they gasped for breath.

"Good fight," Obi-Wan grinned at Anakin.

"Yah," Anakin smiled back, though his eyes displayed something else.

As the two boys stepped off of the mat, their friends and other initiates swarmed around them. "Obi-Wan! That was so cool!" Bant grinned as she hugged him. "You were awesome."

"That was amazing, Obi-Wan." Garen agreed.

"Anakin, that was crazy." Tru patted his friend on the back. "You fought well."

"Yah, Ani, that was good!" Darra smiled.

"Thanks, I could've done better though." He shrugged dismissively before striding over to his master.

Obi-Wan searched the crowd for Anakin. Spotting the boy with his master, Obi-Wan made his way over to Qui-Gon. The tall man still made Obi-Wan uncomfortable, but it was no matter. "Anakin!" Obi-Wan called before the other boy could walk away with his master.

"Oh, hey Obi-Wan." Anakin smiled tiredly.

"You dropped this." He produced a beautiful, warm rock.

"Oh," The boy's eyes widened, "thanks." He took it from Obi-Wan's palm with visible relief and gratefulness.

"Hi, Master Jinn," Obi-Wan greeted with a slight bow.

"Hello, Obi-Wan, you fought well."

"Thanks," He smiled sheepishly. For some odd reason, he had a need to please the jedi, as if he was his own master.

"Obi-Wan! There you are!" A young man groaned as he jogged up to his apprentice. "Padawan, I've been looking for you. You disappeared in the crowd over there." He laughed, completely oblivious to the company beside his apprentice.

Anakin could feel his master stiffen as the young man came to view. He was in his early thirties with brown hair, a confident smile, and a handsomely carved face. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were talking to someone." He cleared his throat and then glanced at his apprentice's company. "Ah, young Skywalker, you fought extremely well."

"Thank you, Master Du Crion." Anakin answered with an uncertain smile.

"Qui-Gon," Xanatos greeted coolly, "you did well with this apprentice."

"What—what are you doing here?" The older man spluttered, unable to speak.

"Um, I've been here since…ever." He shrugged. "I've just been staying out of your way. After all, it's a large temple."

"I mean—"

Xanatos cut his former master off with a hidden glare. He leaned forward and whispered, "Not here, Qui-Gon, in front of everyone. If you want to talk, we'll do it later. Or maybe you'll just run off to the council as always…right?" He smirked as he leaned back. "Obi-Wan and I will go now. I'm sure Anakin's tired too, he's very skilled with the lightsaber."

"Thank you." Qui-Gon stiffly replied, throwing Obi-Wan an unsure glance.

"Bye." The two boys waved at each other before departing with their masters.

"What was that about?" Obi-Wan asked as they were out of earshot.

"Nothing, just some old problems from old friends."

"Right…" Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, "you mean, some _big_ old problems."

"Obi-Wan, he was my former master, remember?"

"OH…really?" He gasped.

"Yes."

"But—but his old apprentice was a…traitor."

"Technically…" Xanatos gave his apprentice an apologetic smile, "listen, it was our last mission together and I was young, foolish, and totally egotistic. So basically, my father convinced me to join him, Qui-Gon killed him, and I drew my lightsaber against him. Long story short, I had technically betrayed Qui-Gon and he had abandoned me after that. Days later, I realized my mistake, crawled back to the council on my knees begging for their acceptance and they agreed to take me back."

"Just like that?"

"Yep, you didn't know me back then, Padawan. I was different. I would've never crawled, much less beg on my knees to be taken back." Xanatos shrugged. "Anyway, I tried avoiding Qui-Gon for all these years. It worked until…today."

"Oh, I see." Obi-Wan nodded as the two entered their quarters. "I'm gonna go wash up."

"What was that about, Master?" Anakin asked.

"Nothing, that was just an old apprentice of mine." Qui-Gon replied stiffly. "We have some bad history."

"Oh, the one who betrayed you?"

"Yes…" Qui-Gon hesitated, "it's of no matter, Ani, it's in the past, supposed to be forgotten of, go wash up. I'm going to head out for a little bit."

"Yes, Master." Anakin nodded.

As Anakin disappeared into the fresher, Qui-Gon exited their quarters to seek Du Crion/Kenobi. It was a surprise when Qui-Gon discovered the quarters only about six feet from his. "Wonder why I never saw this before," He murmured before knocking on the door; he had to make amends with Xanatos before it was too late—before it destroyed them both.

"Master! Door!" Obi-Wan shouted as he dried his hair with a towel.

"You get it! I'm busy—ow!" Xanatos released a string of curses.

"Are you OK?" Obi-Wan demanded.

"Yah…I just burned my hand…"

"Oh…I meant, is the food OK?"

"Get the door!" Xanatos groaned.

"Oh, right…" Obi-Wan pulled the door open without glancing through the eyehole to see who it was. "Oh, Master Jinn…um…Master!"

Qui-Gon couldn't help but quirk his brow in the young boy's direction. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, showing off his carved abs, and another towel held in his hands that was being used to dry his hair. "Hello, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon said.

"Excuse me, Sir…" He turned, stumbled on his feet and then into the fresher to put on some clothes.

"I was wondering when you'd show up." Xanatos said as he appeared in the doorway. "My apprentice must've forgotten his manners again." He rolled his eyes affectionately.

A muffled, "Sorry, Master!" could be heard through the door.

"Come in," Xanatos gestured.

"Um…OK." Qui-Gon entered their quarters and sat on their couch. He noticed the warm dark colors used on the walls, small potted plants resting on some corners, and a few books and holopads scattered on the desks.

"Excuse me for the…mess." Xanatos grimaced. "So, what brings you here? I must say, I'm kind of…surprised that you didn't drag Master Windu along to accuse me of using dark powers."

"Xanatos, I honestly don't know…where to begin." Qui-Gon said. "I'm not going to lie that I was surprised to see you today. Actually, more than surprised, I really did jump to those same conclusions. But then I guess…I looked at Anakin, at Obi-Wan, and then I realized that you're probably not that same boy that I left back on Telos. You must've earned the council's trust to be allowed to not only be a jedi knight, but a jedi master. And so, I guess you do deserve a chance from me. I'm not going to run to the council…I'm going to believe them and you, I'm going to believe the fact that you changed."

Xanatos stared at his former master as he struggled to keep his jaw from dropping all the way to the ground. "…um…let's just say that is not what I was expecting! I believe that you've changed too…for the best of course."

Qui-Gon chuckled, "Obi-Wan turned out to be a fine boy, he glows with light, Xanatos."

"…oh…" The young master smiled with pride, "he does, doesn't he?"

"Yes, he does." Qui-Gon glanced in the direction of the fresher. The sixteen year old had yet to emerge, though the two men could hear him rummaging through a few drawers and then a few 'ows' followed by a string of curses.

"He's a little on the clumsy side." Xanatos laughed.

"I could see that. Well, Xan, I just wanted to make my amends with you. I needed to let go, you know what I mean?"

"Yes, Qui-Gon, I know. I'm glad that you came. You should bring Anakin over some time, I'll cook."

"Um…" He glanced uncertainly towards the kitchen where black smoke could be seen rising from the pots, "how about I cook and you bring Obi-Wan over some time?"

Xanatos glanced at the kitchen and immediately nodded in agreement, "Sounds good."

"Yah, I have to go now…Anakin will be wondering where I am." Qui-Gon explained as he stood up. "It's…" He smiled thoughtfully, "good seeing you again, my old apprentice."

"Same here, it was not what I had expected."

Qui-Gon shrugged, "Expect the unexpected, have a good dinner."

"Yup…" Xanatos threw another furtive glance towards the ktichen, "will do."

The older master chuckled before exiting the quarters. As the man disappeared, Xanatos turned towards the fresher and called, "What's taking you so long in there, Padawan?"

"Um…I kind of dropped…something in the—um…toilet…"

With a sinking feeling, Xanatos swallowed and asked, "What'd you drop?"

"Um…remember how you told me not to ever hold any grudges and that jedi had to let go…"

"Obi-Wan Kenobi! What did you drop in there?"

"Just that…er…gold ring that you uh…keep with you all the time." The sixteen year old stuttered, unsure if he wanted to face his master yet.

"Come—out—here—now." Xanatos said through his teeth with controlled anger.

Unsure, Obi-Wan poked his head through the doorway and stepped into the living room. "I'm sorry, Master, I tried getting it out…I really did, I just accidentally hit the…flush and it kind of…disappeared?" He swallowed, knowing how horrible he sounded. The excuse sounded lame even to his own ears.

"Obi-Wan, just for that, I'm going to force you to choke down every single crumb of the dinner I made. And then I'm sentencing you to two hours of meditation and then kitchen duty with one of the temple's cooks for a week."

"What!? Master! What I did wasn't even as bad as the time you accidentally cut half of my padawan braid with your scissors. I accepted your apology then!"

"See, Obi-Wan, your hair grows back. I can't magically make the ring appear again, unless you want to dig in the sewers, which I doubt you do, you can't make the ring come back either. Besides, I'm the master and you're the apprentice, get over it."

"Fine," He grumbled as he sat himself down at their dining table.

"It's chicken with rice." Xanatos said proudly as he scooped the black chicken from the pot and onto his apprentice's plate.

"More like charcoal with rice," Obi-Wan grumbled, "are you sure this is safe to eat?"

"For that comment, I think I'm going to add another hour to meditation." Xanatos smirked as he playfully swatted the boy's head.

"Right…cause' that's soooo fair."

"Yep, you know why?"

"Because you said so."

"Exactly, you're learning my young padawan."

"And you're so funny," Obi-Wan said sarcastically with a dry laugh.

"That I am, Obi-Wan," Xanatos made a face at his dinner as he poked it with his fork.

"A great cook too," He mumbled as he forced himself to chew the extremely burnt chicken. "It's delicious Master, you should have some."

"Really?"

Obi-Wan eagerly nodded. "Then why don't you swallow the 'delicious' chicken?"

The sixteen year old's eyes immediately widened for a short moment before he forced the chewed mouthful of burnt chicken and rice down his throat with a visible grimace. "Do I have to finish this?"

"Ah…so you lied…" Xanatos smirked.

"What?"

"I'm going to have to add another extra hour of meditation now, Padawan. You're sixteen, you should know better than to lie and for that, you're going to have to eat my share of food." Xanatos happily slid his plate over to Obi-Wan. "Bon Appétit!"

Obi-Wan glared at his master as his eyes lowered into thin slits. He immediately knew that Xanatos was enjoying his time torturing Obi-Wan. It was his way of…revenge, not in a dark way, but in a playful, satisfying, torturing his apprentice for fun way. "Finish your food and do the dishes, I'm going out to the dining hall to see if they have anything good to eat. I'll know if you flushed it down the toilet or if you threw it in the disposal, out the window, or in the trash. You've never been a very good liar."

"I wasn't lying! It was a joke!"

"Uh…huh…that's what they all say." Xanatos snickered as he exited the quarters. It was too fun.

Obi-Wan gave an exasperated groan and then rummaged around the kitchen to see if there was anything he could use to make the food taste better. Besides, he had to get used to working in some sort of kitchen. He had kitchen duty with the temple jedi chefs for a week!

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What do you guys think? Let me know if you liked it and what I could do for improvement! Yah, I'm over and out!


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry about the long wait guys! Life's been pretty hectic and all, I'm trying to write a few chapters ahead before I update so the wait won't be as long. :P All right, read, review, ENJOY!

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Chapter Two

After rousing at two AM with his master who had obviously gone out of his mind, Obi-Wan was forced to meditate for four hours straight. Every time he felt sleep tug at the corners of his mind, his master would intrude and jolt him awake. At Six A.M., Obi-Wan was allowed to wash up and prepare for class. Slightly annoyed and extremely tired, Obi-Wan sluggishly made his way out of the quarters with a mumbled 'bye'. Xanatos shook his head with an amused smile before making his way over to the council chambers.

Obi-Wan sat with his friends at a table, his eyes drooped close for a short moment before he was prodded in the back by his friend. "What's up with you?" Garen asked.

"Nothing, I just had to wake up really early today to meditate. Crazy master." He murmured.

"I'd think that you'd be a bit more…hyped up after your fight yesterday." Ferus said with a slight smile. "You held your ground with Anakin really well. I would've been pretty…I don't know—nervous."

"I was nervous, Ferus. Extremely." Obi-Wan shrugged. "It's just a matter of letting those emotions go I guess. I guess, I realized that he's just like us, chosen one or not, and then I just didn't really see a point in being extra nervous."

Over at another table, Anakin sat with Bruck, Tru, Darra, and Alto. The golden boy poked at his food, still disappointed about yesterday's outcome. "Aw, come on Ani, it was just a little fight. Plus it was for fun!" Darra smiled.

"And it was Oafy Wan, Anakin. He's a loser." Bruck added.

"Yah, but he was _good_, I mean, I don't think he was even fazed by me." Anakin sighed with a hint of incredulity.

"You're not a god or anything Anakin. It's good if he isn't totally intimidated by you." Darra sighed.

"I know, but…I mean—I _am_ the chosen one and most people are kinda…well they're all at least kind of nerve racked with the fact that they have to go against me." Anakin said.

"Well maybe he's different."

"Yah…" Anakin shrugged as he glanced at Obi-Wan. "Maybe…"

In the council chambers, Xanatos stood by his former master. He felt the small pricks of nervousness as he stood beside the man. Perhaps it was the way Qui-Gon carried himself, no matter how many times Xanatos told himself that he didn't care what Qui-Gon thought, he knew he was lying to himself. The man had practically raised him and all Xanatos wanted to do now was to prove himself to the man. He wanted to show that he had redeemed himself. The young master knew that it was silly to feel like this, definitely since Qui-Gon had already accepted him, but Xanatos still felt the need to show his skills, his capabilities, and who he'd become as a person.

"An important mission this is." Yoda said before nodding towards Mace to continue the briefing.

"We want to you to go settle a dispute with the Trade Federation. As you know, they want control of all trade routes and they have unlawfully surrounded the peaceful planet of Naboo with hundreds of giant warships. We want you to handle the situation before it leads to war." Mace Windu said.

"OK, but…if they've already surrounded a planet with warships, doesn't that already mean war?" Xanatos asked with a confused quirk of his brow.

"Not necessarily, if the negotiations are successful, there shouldn't be any problems."

"Why do we need two jedi teams?" Qui-Gon politely inquired.

"Not as simple as it seems, the mission is. Very important to the future, it is, to the jedi, to the republic, to you." Yoda said as his ears twitched.

Qui-Gon and Xanatos shared a small concerned glance before returning their attention back to the masters. "Your transport leaves in three hours. Get your apprentices, pack lightly." Mace ordered.

Qui-Gon and Xanatos bowed to the council members before exiting. It was too much like when he and Qui-Gon were still master and apprentice for Xanatos' taste. "Obi-Wan isn't going to be happy with this." Xanatos groaned as he and Qui-Gon made their way to the cafeteria.

"And why is that? Most apprentices are happy when they get to go on a mission."

"Yes, but…I kind of forced Obi-Wan to meditate for four hours straight…starting from 2AM." The young master grimaced.

"You what!? And the boy complied without any…struggle?"

"Well, at first he said that it wasn't fair, but then he did it and he almost fell asleep a few times, but he did it." Xanatos shrugged. "He's a good kid."

Qui-Gon nodded, "I still can't believe he did it."

"Me neither." Xanatos laughed before making his way over to his apprentice's table. "Hey, Obi-Wan."

"Hi Master." Obi-Wan grinned without thought, before remembering that it was best to give his master the silent treatment.

"Hi, Master Du Crion." Obi-Wan's friends greeted, they were at ease with the young master. He wasn't as intimidating as the other masters.

"Come on Obi-Wan, we have a mission."

The sixteen year old's eyes widened in curiosity. Without saying a word, he stood up, bid good bye to his friends and then exited. The master and apprentice walked in silence as Obi-Wan struggled to keep his mouth shut. He was battling between his curiosity and his want to give his master the silent treatment.

Xanatos hid the small smile that was beginning to appear on his lips. He knew that the boy was struggling to not burst with questions. "…what's the mission about, Master?" Obi-Wan demanded.

With a triumphant smirk, Xanatos replied, "We're just paying the Trade Federation a little visit."

"That important, eh?"

"Yes, so important that we're going with Qui-Gon and Anakin." Xanatos smiled.

"Oh…that's nice, I guess." Obi-Wan shrugged. "So, we're leaving right now, right now?"

"Yep, let's get packing and then we'll meet up with Qui-Gon and his apprentice at the transport."

"Cool," Without another word, Obi-Wan disappeared into his room and grabbed his travelling pack that was already filled with all of his essential things: a first aid kit, extra tunic, bottled water, dried food, and a back up comlink.

He appeared outside his room with his master beside him. "Ready, Padawan of mine?" Xanatos smirked, causing Obi-Wan to roll his eyes.

"Yep."

The master and padawan team appeared at the temple's hangar where they were greeted by Qui-Gon and Anakin. Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel a wave of discomfort sweep over him. He had yet to decipher why. The two teams formally greeted each other before embarking their vessel. "So they're taking us into the battle ship?" Anakin asked.

Qui-Gon nodded as their vessel entered the large ship. Obi-Wan immediately murmured, "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Don't worry, Obi-Wan, just some boring negotiations." Anakin grinned as he slapped the other apprentice on the back.

"Put your hoods on." Qui-Gon instructed, ignoring Anakin's former comment.

Seeing the fact that his master had not agreed with him, Anakin felt his worry rise before he mimicked Qui-Gon and Xanatos' movement. The four Jedi walked down the ramp where they were greeted by a protocol droid. "This way Master Jedi." It said before walking them to a room. "Wait here, please."

The four Jedi removed their hoods and Obi-Wan once again murmured, "I have a bad feeling about this. I sense something…_elusive_."

"Don't center on your anxieties, Padawan." Xanatos chided.

Qui-Gon nodded at the paranoid sixteen year old, "These Trade Federation types are cowards, the negotiations will be short."

Anakin sent to his master _/Someone's paranoid/_

_/He has a right to be, Anakin./_

_/I know, but these are negotiations, how hard can they be?/_

_/Excruciatingly painful, my young padawan, definitely for someone who can't stay still/_ Qui-Gon smirked in his apprentice's direction.

_/Haha, you're hilarious/_

_/That I am, young one, that I am/_

"Do you—" Xanatos leapt up and ignited his lightsaber. "Gas, hold your breath!"

With lightning fast reflexes, the other three Jedi followed his order. /_Stay close to me, Padawan_/ Both masters sent to their apprentices, immediately receiving their faithful, /_Yes, Master/_

Once the conference room doors opened, the Jedis were greeted by droids and droidekas. "Told ya I had a bad feeling!" Obi-Wan said as he somersaulted over his master and landed in front of a droid.

Anakin followed the other boy's example and attacked the droids, leaving the two masters to groan in their reckless apprentices' wake. After taking all the droids down, the four Jedi rushed into the main hangar only to find their transport destroyed. They were trapped! From a hidden perch, the Jedi watched the activity in the hangar. Thousands of battle droids were being loaded onto a giant landing craft.

"It's an invasion army." Anakin whispered incredulously.

Qui-Gon and Xanatos immediately knew that they would have to find a way off this battleship. "We have to warn the Queen of Naboo that her planet is about to be attacked." Xanatos whispered.

"And contact the Chancellor." Qui-Gon added.

"Hey, at least you were right about one thing, Master Jinn." Obi-Wan shrugged with a sly smile, causing Xanatos to inwardly groan. That boy and his dry humor in the weirdest situations!

"And what was that, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon arched an elegant brow in the boy's direction.

"The negotiations _were_ short." The comment made Anakin snort with laughter as Qui-Gon stared that the boy in disbelief.

"I know, he's…weird." Xanatos shrugged. "Come on, we gotta get going."

The four Jedi stole aboard a Trade Federation vessel heading for Naboo. Once the ships landed in a murky swamp, the Jedi made their escape. "How are we going to get to Naboo, now?" Anakin asked as he ducked behind a tree with the other three Jedi. "I mean, we have no transport. We have…nothing."

"Relax, Anakin, there's a Gungan City nearby." Obi-Wan smiled. "Master and I had a mission near here and we stumbled across them, they're pretty nice if you…approach them correctly."

Qui-Gon looked towards Xanatos for confirmation. The young master nodded and then motioned for Obi-Wan to lead the way. He was proud of how his padawan was holding himself, he was much calmer. Obi-Wan dove into the swamp and led the other Jedi deep under the murky waters. Soon, the four reached the beautiful underwater city of Otoh Gunga. They swam towards the many giant connected bubbles that made up the city—and stepped right inside. Amazed, Qui-Gon and Anakin took in their surroundings. In an instant, they were standing in the middle of the dry city square.

"Obawan!!!" A strange voice shrieked before an orange figure streaked towards the apprentice and grappled him in a hug.

"Hi, Jar Jar." The sixteen year old grinned.

"What is yousa doing here?"

"Master and I got into some trouble, these are our friends, Qui-Gon and Anakin." Obi-Wan introduced. "Can you help us, Jar Jar?"

"Of course! Bossa Nass will be happy to see yousa." Jar Jar exclaimed as he led the Jedi towards the leader.

_/That was weird/_ Anakin thought.

_/A little, Gungans talk funny/ _Qui-Gon placed a hand on his apprentice's shoulder and smiled.

Xanatos noticed the confusion etched on the other two Jedis' faces and he explained, "Obi-Wan and I had a mission around here one time, looking for a missing child or something. And he saved Jar Jar and actually…the whole city from being discovered and destroyed by a few bounty hunters."

"Really?" Qui-Gon said as his curiosity rose.

"Yah, it was pretty amazing. The dumb boy almost got himself killed here. He fought off two bounty hunters, put himself off as a decoy and bait while Jar Jar got away and warned his city. Unfortunately, the other two bounty hunters were a little too good." Xanatos gave Qui-Gon a grim look. "He was lucky that I found him or he would've been dead for good. After that mission, he had to go see a mind healer for at least a month. The fact that he had killed two people left him scarred."

"I see, I'm glad that he was fine." Qui-Gon mused as he took in his former apprentice's expression, the conceited young boy that he'd known had somehow evolved into a compassionate young man. The thought made him feel extremely proud.

Eventually the four Jedi stood in front of Boss Nass. Obi-Wan and Xanatos greeted him and introduced Qui-Gon and Anakin. They then explained their situation. "I'm afraid that…the only way I can help you is to…send you through the core." Boss Nass said in a grave tone, evoking gasps from all of the gungans.

"OK, that'll be fine. Thank you very much." Qui-Gon said.

"Anything for my two favorite jedi." He laughed. "It was good seeing you again Jedi Du Crion, Jedi Kenobi."

"Yes, it was good seeing you again too." Both jedi bowed with a slight smile before following Qui-Gon and Anakin into a ship.

With all four jedi in their small transport, they travelled through the core, prepared for what lied ahead. Next stop: Theed, the place where they would meet the young Queen of Naboo for the first time.

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Stay tuned for the next chapter!!! I'll update ASAP :P Thanks everyone for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Al righty, here's chapter three, updated sooner than I expected, but I'm probably not going to update in a few weeks cause of SAT's the dreaded test!!!! I'm gonna die guys, it's like the test takes out my brain puts it on a pan, fries it, and then sticks it back into my head and expects me to use it. Insane right? Anyway, I'll let you guys read.

Thanks to everyone who's been reading by the way! Enjoy this chapter...hopefully...

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Chapter Three

Queen Amidala, the Young ruler of Naboo, was in desperate trouble. Using an army of battle droids, the Trade Federation viceroy had entered her peaceful capital city and took over her Royal Palace. Now a slew of battle droids was holding her captive, along with her handmaidens and several of her advisers. "I already told you, I will not cooperate. I will not sign the treaty.

"Now, now, Your Highness," the viceroy sneered, "you are not going to like what we have in store for your people." He shouted a few orders towards the droid in charge.

The droid led captives out of the throne room, toward the detention camp. As they crossed the courtyard, the Queen looked around in horror. Battle droids and tanks were everywhere; her entire planet was under siege!

"So, Master, do you think now would be a good time to attack?" Anakin asked.

"Anakin, Jedi don't attack…"

"Yah, yah, they defend." The boy rolled his eyes.

"Well, technically, we'd be defending the queen." Obi-Wan smirked. "Whadya say, Master Jinn?"

"Get a hold of your apprentice, Xan." Qui-Gon playfully groaned. "He's too witty for his own good. And I thought Anakin was troublesome."

"Oh, Qui-Gon, he's not troublesome. He just has a funny bone, unlike you." Xanatos smirked and then glanced at the Queen. "Now would be a good time to intervene." He said as he noticed the voices rising.

From above, the four jedi leapt from the balcony and moved quickly against the mechanical soldiers. Drawing their lightsabers, Obi-Wan and Anakin sliced the droids in half, as their masters explained to the queen, "We are the ambassadors for the Supreme Chancellor, we must make contact with the Republic. Do you have transports?"

The Queen's group led the Jedi to Naboo's main hangar, where the Royal Starship awaited them. "You have to come with us." Qui-Gon said.

"Thank you, but my place is here with my people." She said.

"The situation isn't what it seems, Milady, if you stay, you will be killed." Xanatos said in a regal manner. He charmed her with one of his smiles. "Please, it will do your people no good if you are killed."

With a few more words of persuasion, the Queen agreed and boarded the starship with three of her handmaidens, Captain Panaka, and a few other members of her security force. Their journey had just begun.

The four Jedi boarded the ship and followed the captain into the cockpit. The Royal Starship streaked skyward, although it was extremely fast, it had no weapons. They were completely defenseless as they approached the Trade Federation's deadly blockade far above the planet's surface. Laser fire began to shoot at them from all directions. "Sithspit!" Xanatos spat as he lost his balance. "Send some damn repair droids up there before we lose our shields!"

"We've lost our shields!" The captain retorted.

"Then hurry up! They're attacking us nonstop!" Xanatos urged.

"Relax, Xanatos, Anakin is with the repair droids as we speak." Qui-Gon said in his calm voice.

"Yah, that'll do us a lot of good." He snorted. "All of the droids are getting blasted off the hull."

"All but one…look, the shields are up!" Qui-Gon said with a reassuring smile. "We're saved!"

"Haha." Xanatos laughed dryly.

"Don't celebrate, our hyperdrive's damaged, we have to get a new one. We have to land at the closest planet." The captain explained.

"Hey, Qui-Gon, Tatooine is the closest planet. Do we land?" Xanatos asked.

Recognizing the planet, Qui-Gon felt an old familiarity creep upon him. "Yes." He nodded. Tatooine was Anakin's home planet, was this another test for the master and apprentice?

In a small room, Padme sat down cleaning a small blue droid. "You're a real brave little robot, aren't you?" She asked as she cleaned him.

"Talking to droids?" Anakin smirked. "Don't worry, I do it too. I'm Anakin, by the way. He's Obi-Wan." The other boy sent a shy smile at Padme before sitting beside his friend.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Padme." She responded as she recognized Anakin as one of the Jedi apprentices. She had noticed him from the beginning, him and the other apprentice. Both boys were extremely handsome with completely different features.

Anakin, she had noticed, had sharper features that gave him a confident air and bolder features than the other boy. The other boy had gentle features that had a form of serenity to it, warmer features rather than strikingly handsome. "So, do you do these kinds of things a lot?" She asked.

"Not really, I usually don't rescue such pretty women." Anakin smiled before he could stop himself, he could feel some strange feelings rising in his chest. Obi-Wan, on the other hand, continued to sit silently beside his rash friend while studying the beautiful girl's appearance.

A blush rose to Padme's cheeks. "Anyway, what's it like…being a handmaiden?" Anakin asked.

"It's an honor to serve my queen." She replied with some cautiousness. "Some days are really boring, others are…not."

"Your life is a lot like a Jedi's then." Obi-Wan said with a sly smile, his soft accent underlining every word. "We serve the republic and some days are also really boring while others are not."

"True, physics is a pain in the ass." Anakin said with a groan, causing Padme's smile to broaden.

"Well, sometimes I have to go with the Queen to some meetings with senators and such…_those_ are extremely boring." Padme grinned. "What about you, Obi-Wan, what makes you bored?"

He chuckled before answering, "Meditation, I think it was today that I had to wake up at 2 AM to meditate for four hours straight. That's a pain."

"Ouch." The two teens grimaced.

_/Anakin? Where are you?/_

_/In the room with the repair droids, why?/_

_/We're landing soon on Tatooine to get a new hyperdrive. It's beyond your fixing so, you're coming with me. Meet me by the landing ramp./ Qui-Gon ordered._

_/Oh, what about Obi-Wan?/_

_/He's going to stay with his master to regulate things and to make sure that they don't contact anyone. We don't want to be discovered/_

_/OK, I'll be right there/ _Anakin turned regretfully towards Padme. "I gotta go, we're landing on Tatooine. Damaged hyperdrive."

"Wait, what!? And why wasn't I informed of any of this?" She demanded as her 'queenly' thoughts took over.

"Um, maybe cause' you're a handmaiden." Anakin shrugged.

Seeing Padme redden with anger, Obi-Wan mentally cursed at his friend's brashness. "Padme, it's probably because they just found out and they're doing it last minute. I'm sure if anyone could've, they would've informed you earlier. I didn't know of it until now either." Obi-Wan said in a reasonable voice.

"Yes, but you're just a Jedi apprentice, I'm—" She abruptly stopped as she realized that she had almost given her secret away.

Obi-Wan quirked his brow in the young woman's direction, "You're…"

"Nothing, I have to go." She exited, rushing past the apprentices.

"What's with her?" Anakin quirked a brow at Obi-Wan.  
"Well…I think she's a lot more than she's letting us in on." Obi-Wan shrugged.

"Yah, she looks like an angel."

Obi-Wan quirked his brows at Anakin, such thoughts were unusual and forbidden for a Jedi. Yet, Obi-Wan couldn't deny that he was thinking the same thing. "What?" Anakin smirked at Obi-Wan. "Don't pretend to be a goody two shoes, you know you were thinking the same thing."

"It's…unfit for a Jedi to have such…thoughts." Obi-Wan carefully murmured.

"Yah, but that's why we're apprentices. We're just learning, so technically we're allowed to have those thoughts."

"I guess…" A slow smile spread across Obi-Wan's worried face, "I'm beginning to think that she's more than a handmaiden."  
"I just told you, she's an _angel_ sent to us as a gift from the force." Anakin laughed.

"I'll admit, she has this glow…really pretty."

"Beautiful." Anakin corrected.

"Gorgeous." Obi-Wan grinned as he fought the blush that was rushing to his cheeks.

"Don't be ashamed, Obi-Wan, we're only padawans. We're just exploring life right now." Anakin said. "Besides, I'm sure you've checked out Siri and stuff, haven't you?"

"Uh…not really." Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"Right…every guy has had some form of crush on her." Anakin rolled his eyes. "Even me for a little while, but it was clear that she was only interested in you."

"We had a thing for a little while…last year, all right!?" Obi-Wan sighed. "Let's just say that…Master found out and he made me choose. I made my choice…we both made our choice and it was clear that we both put our duties first."

"I never took you as the kind of guy who would do that. Honestly, I thought you were a rule follower."

"I was! I mean—I am!" Obi-Wan exclaimed. "I made a lot of mistakes and I know now that the rules are there for a reason."

"For us to break?"

"No, for us to…follow and…bend a bit."

"Yah, see, Master and I, we're mavericks." Anakin grinned.

"Trust me, we aren't exactly all for the rules either." Obi-Wan sighed. "We do get attached and we do get emotional on our missions. I think that's what irks the council…emotions."

"Agreed."

_/ANAKIN! It's been ten minutes! Do I have to come get you!?/ _Qui-Gon shouted over their bond.

"Oh! Oops! Talk to you later, Obi-Wan, I gotta get going." Anakin bustled out of the room. _/Coming Master, no need to shout/_

_/Who said I was shouting?/_

_/Fine. Speaking really loudly through the bond. Sheesh/_ Anakin waved at Padme before meeting his Master at the ramp. "Hi, Master."

"Caught up in something, Ani?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Just talking to Obi-Wan about…stuff." He flashed his master an innocent smile. "So, where to?"

"Anywhere with an affordable hyperdrive." Qui-Gon murmured. "Come on, we'll walk to the nearest town, Mos Espa. I'm sure there's someplace where there's a hyperdrive."

The master and apprentice descended from the starship and made their trek towards the town. The ship had landed quite a few miles from the town and walking in the blistering heat was not fun. Located on the Outer Rim of the galaxy, Tatooine was a hot desert planet ravaged by the heat of twin suns. It wasn't long before the two of them came across a cluttered junk shop that sold used ship parts. "There's something familiar about this place." Anakin murmured.

"Maybe because this is your home planet," Qui-Gon gave his apprentice a slight smile, "don't you remember?"

"Oh, oh yah." Anakin smiled.

"What do you want?" An unpleasant owner snapped in Huttese as the two entered his dingy shop. The blue Toydarian darted back and forth on two stubby wings. His name was Watto.

"I'm looking for a hyperdrive." Qui-Gon explained as Anakin explored the shop.

The three stood in the middle of the shop as they spoke. "Anakin?" A woman's voice called. "Is that—could it be—is it really you? My son? My little Ani?"

"There you are! I thought I told you to organize these droids!" Watto snapped.

"M—Mom?" Anakin gasped.

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What do you think? :P Anyway, hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!

Until next time....

HD


	4. Chapter 4

I know, I know, it has been ages since I've updated. My bad. I've just been really focused on my other story. Hopefully to become a book. But check it out on fictionpress if you're interested. .com/~mseatsalot Shattered is what it's called. BUt anyway, I bet you guys want to read the next chapter so enjoy!

I got school in a few days so yah...but I'll try to update more often now.

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Chapter Four

Both Qui-Gon and Watto snapped their attention towards Anakin and the woman. Dread and worry spread in Qui-Gon's chest, was this going to turn out like his mission with Xanatos? Would Anakin turn on him? Immediately, Qui-Gon banished those thoughts from his mind. Anakin was different. For a while, no one spoke, to Qui-Gon's surprise, it was Watto who spoke next. "Ani? Little Ani?" He turned his gaze on Anakin. "You two, you're…Jedi."

Qui-Gon nodded, "Yes, but please, we don't want anyone to know." He then turned towards the woman and smiled at her. "You're his mother."

"Yes, I'm Shmi Skywalker." She dazedly walked over to her son and placed a hand on his cheek.

Anakin, startled by the touch, glanced at his master uncertainly. _/It's OK, Padawan. She missed you/_

_/Oh, OK/_

"Oh, my son," She smiled with tears glistening in her eyes, "you're so handsome. I never ever thought that this day would come. I never thought that I would ever see you again. How I missed you so." She pulled him into a loving embrace which Anakin awkwardly returned.

He had never felt so much love before. He knew that Qui-Gon loved him like a son, but, this was different. Shmi's love pulsed around him, warming him, protecting him, and engulfing him. It was unconditional. "My life is complete," She whispered, "now that I have seen you."

Watto beat his wings and flew over to the two. "Get back to work, Shmi, I'll take these two Jedi to pick up their hyperdrive."

She nodded, but before she turned away, she hugged Anakin once more and kissed his cheek. "I love you my son, even if you don't know me. Know that I love you, oh so very much." She whispered and then pulled away.

Anakin dazedly followed his master and Watto. /_Are you OK, Anakin?/_

_/Yah, it's just—this is a lot to take in…that's all. Master?/_

_/Yes?/_

_/Why does Watto act like he owns her?/ _

Qui-Gon paused before answering_, /Because he does/_

_/What!? What do you mean?/_

_/She's a slave, Anakin/_

Qui-Gon moved around the junk shop and then said, "This is the hyperdrive we need. We'll pay 30 republican credits for it."

"Haha, you're funny. We don't take credits, the republic has no power here. Why do you think we still have slaves?" Watto cackled.

"Credits will do." Qui-Gon murmured as he attempted to convince him to accept the credits.

"Haha, your Jedi mind tricks don't work on me. No money, no hyperdrive!"

Anakin groaned, "Would it be OK if we helped clean up your junk shop today and that would be our pay?"

"A week!" Watto smirked.

"Deal."

Qui-Gon shot his apprentice a glare before nodding to the agreement. _/Please, Padawan, next time don't just shout out suggestions and make deals before you confirm them with me/ _

/_Sorry, Master/_

Qui-Gon turned to Watto, "I'll com my friends to let them know, and then we'll help you with the shop. One week."

"Yes, you two can stay with Shmi." Watto said. "Some bonding time for her and her son."

"OK, what do you need us to do?" Anakin asked.

"Fix those droids," Watto pointed towards a large pile of droids that piled higher than Qui-Gon.

"Fun…" Anakin sighed as he grabbed a screw driver.

Meanwhile, on the starship, Xanatos jogged towards Obi-Wan, "Hey, Obi-Wan, we have a slight problem."

"What."  
"We're stuck here for another week, so could you do me the honor of telling the queen that?" Xanatos grinned. "Thanks, Padawan, you're the best. I'll be in the dining room if you need me."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to protest, but his master had already darted out of the room, leaving his grumbling seventeen year old apprentice to trudge half heartedly to the Queen's chambers. Obi-Wan paused outside the queen's chambers. How could he approach her? She had been frustrated that they had landed on this dreaded planet to begin with. How would she react when she heard that she was going to be trapped here for another week or so, while her people were dying? They had received a hologram from one of the senators that were left behind on Theed. Of course, Xanatos had forbidden them from sending any transmissions and fortunately, they had agreed without much protest.

Hesitating for a little longer, Obi-Wan was about to knock when the handmaiden, Padme, approached him. "Obi-Wan?"

"Oh, hey, Padme." He spun from the door and faced her with a slight smile.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well…I was just going to let Queen Amidala know that we're going to be stuck here for a few weeks."

"What!?" Padme exclaimed. "In a few weeks my people could die!"

Surprised by her sudden outburst, Obi-Wan said nothing while Padme immediately cover her mouth with clasped hands. "Your people?" Obi-Wan quirked a brow in her direction with an amused smile.

"…Yah…" She said defiantly, "we are of the same people you know. We're the same. So they're my people!" She stuttered.

"Mm hm…you can drop the act, you know." Obi-Wan grinned. "I already suspected that you were the queen. So, Milady, I'll take it that you don't like the fact that we're going to be stuck here." He was surprising himself with the way he was speaking to 'The Queen' of Naboo.

"No, I don't, and please. This is a secret, don't tell anybody, it's for safety reasons." She pleaded and then added. "Not even your master."

Obi-Wan nodded, "If he doesn't ask…then I won't tell, but I _won't_ lie to him."

"Fair enough," Padme agreed, "now, I think I could use some food, you?"

"Since I already informed the queen of our situation," He winked, "I think I could use some too."

"Good, escort me to the dining room?"

"My pleasure," He grinned before allowing her to slip her hand into the crook of his elbow.

The two entered the dining room laughing about some joke Padme had made. Obi-Wan could catch the half amused and half worried look Xanatos was giving him. "Let's sit with my master," Obi-Wan suggested.

"OK."

Approaching the young master, Obi-Wan greeted him before pulling a chair out for Padme. "Good afternoon, Master Du Crion." Padme smiled.

Xanatos grunted in reply before turning to Obi-Wan, "Did you inform the queen?"

"Sure did," Obi-Wan couldn't help but share an amused glance with Padme.

"OK then, I'll leave you two to enjoy your lunch, I think I'll go…check on the pilot." Xanatos said as he stood up. _/Obi-Wan?/_

_/Yes, Master/_

_/Have fun, but do not let your feelings go too far/_

_/Yes, Master/ _Obi-Wan replied while remembering the time he had let his feelings go too far. It had led to him and Siri falling for each other, and then calling it off with her before he was expelled from the order.

Even under a roof with shade, Anakin could not escape the sweltering heat of Tatooine. He'd finished fixing a pile of droids and now his master and him were working on the engine of a speeder. The sun was beginning to set and Anakin was searching around the small junk shop for his mother. "She left already, Anakin, to prepare dinner. You'll see her again tonight." Qui-Gon murmured reassuringly.

"Oh, OK." Anakin said. "Master?"

"Yah?"

"How can she be a slave? She doesn't deserve this life!" Anakin exclaimed. "She just doesn't!"

Smiling grimly at his apprentice's passion for justice, Qui-Gon replied, "No one deserves this life, Padawan, but sometimes you don't get to choose the life you lead. You cope with it and make the best of it."

"I know but…she shouldn't be a slave. That means…I'd have been a slave too had the jedi not found me."

"Anakin, we do not dwell on the 'what could have been'. We must focus on the now. The jedi found you, and Shmi had given you up willingly so that you could have a better life. She loved you, Padawan and she made the right choice. Be thankful for that."

"But…I just don't understand! It's not fair." Anakin growled.

Qui-Gon sighed as he attempted to reason with his hard headed apprentice. This was just as he had feared; this was why jedi never stayed in touch with their birth family. Some families suffered and the jedi would feel the need to get involved, to do anything in their family to help their family. Sometimes blood ties were just too strong. "Life isn't fair, Ani." Qui-Gon murmured. "It really isn't. But what can we do but make the best of it?"

"How is this making the best of it? She's a damned slave! No human should be owned!"

"No, they shouldn't. But what do you expect to do, Anakin? Think, for once. You can't do anything right now. She's content with her life now that she's seen you. Make the best of it for _her_, Ani, don't do anything brash. Yes, slavery is an evil thing, but it's a part of life. The republic has no influence here. The only way to end slavery is to kill the slave owners and we are not killers. We are jedi and we will not get involved with a government who has not asked for our involvement." Qui-Gon stared sternly at his apprentice. "Now come on, wipe off that frown of yours and let's head back for dinner. I'm sure she'll want to hear of her son's adventures as a jedi."

"Yes, Master."

"I'm proud of you Anakin, you know that, right?" Qui-Gon said as he placed a gentle hand on Anakin's shoulder.

The boy grinned at his master before nodding, "I know." He sighed, wishing that Qui-Gon would just admit that he not only was proud of his apprentice, but cared about him too. It was true that jedi never openly admitted their feelings, but when Shmi had told Anakin that she loved him. He felt so happy. He felt warm and only desired to hear those words from the man he saw as a father.

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What do you guys think? Love it? Hate it? I know, not much happened. BUt it will soon, I believe.


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